dry to support these plants outside permanent water sites
and gardens. Perhaps this discovery presaged the subsequent
movement of the species as it is now pantropical,
and is considered edible (Figures 3 & 4), medicinal, or a
pernicious weed by different people (e.g., Edie & Ho 1969,
Islam et al. 2004, Langeland & Burks 1998).
Invasive Species
Rumphius (1741-1750) was one of the first to comment on
the wandering nature of these plants. He contended that the
Malay name kangkong meant “it is restless.” Later Heyne
(1927) commented on the marked ability of I. aquatica to
spread and compete with other plants. Although Ochse
(1951) was advocating water spinach as a vegetable in
Florida, he also pointed out that it had marked potential
to escape. The species has been introduced repeatedly
into Florida since before the 1950s and has escaped from